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St Mary, Temple Guiting

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Welcome to St Mary’s Church Temple Guiting. St. Mary's is one of seven churches in a joint benefice together with the villages of Naunton, Upper and Lower Slaughter, Guiting Power, Cutsdean and Farmcote.We hope these brief notes about its history and particular features of interest will encourage you to visit.

Temple Guiting is a small peaceful village in the Upper Windrush valley at the northwest corner of the Cotswolds. St Mary's Church was founded around the year AD 1170 by the Knights Templar and retains many features of interest.

The most ancient, easternmost part of the church dates from Norman times (12th century). Staring out from below the roofline on each side, are eleven stone corbels; beautifully carved beasts, figures and grotesque heads designed to ward off evil spirits.

In the nave of the church stands a beautiful 15th century font and above it in the central south window, three panels of attractive medieval glass of Flemish or German origin. A further nine glass panels were sold by the Talbot family to a London dealer in 1809 for £5.00 and exported to America. They are now in the Metropolitan Art Museum in New York.

Above the porch door is a Georgian Decalogue, an ornately painted set of wooden panels representing the Creed, Ten Commandments and Lord’s Prayer. The Decalogue, circa 1746, lay hidden for over a century, eventually being restored in 2004 with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Behind the lectern is a beautiful stained glass window , the work of Gloucestershire artist Tom Denny, illustrating a verse from Psalm 111 and installed in 2010 in memory of Lord Butterworth; the first vice-chancellor of Warwick University.

This is just a taste of the history of St Mary's church. The church is always open during daylight hours and you will find refreshments available. Visitors are especially welcome at our Sunday services.